Device boxes have been used for many years to mount various electrical devices and/or to provide a junction for joining wires and cables together on an existing wall. Typically, device boxes are designed to receive wires and/or cables running through conduits on the exterior surface of the wall, or wires and/or cables running through the interior of the walls. Device boxes are currently designed for a wide variety of applications, including low voltage and/or fiber optic communications applications as well as high voltage applications. Some prior art device boxes are specifically designed for high voltage applications, other are specifically designed for low voltage and/or fiber optic communications applications, and still others are designed for most any type of application.
In the past, most device boxes were constructed out of metal. However, more recently plastic device boxes have become more popular since they are typically less expensive to manufacture than metallic device boxes. In high voltage applications, such as device boxes housing power conductors or distribution devices, most local codes require a tool or some other safety feature to prevent easy removal of the cover of the device box. In low voltage and/or fiber optic communications applications, on the other hand, most local codes and UL requirements do not require a tool or other safety feature to prevent easy removal of the cover of the device box. Rather, easy positive latching and unlatching is desired in device boxes used in low voltage and/or fiber optic communications applications.
While numerous prior art device boxes exist for low voltage and/or fiber optic communications applications, these prior art device boxes have several disadvantages to them. For example, many of the prior art devices require a tool for unlatching the cover of the device box. This often makes installation and/or servicing of the device box difficult and time consuming. In addition, some of the prior art device boxes utilize a complex latching arrangement, which increases the costs of manufacture of the device box. Still other prior art device boxes do not provide a positive lock between the cover member and the base member, which can cause the cover member to be inadvertently disengaged from the base member by an indirect force being applied to the box components other than the latch. Moreover, many of the prior art device boxes have latching arrangements which are not aesthetically pleasing.
Examples of some prior art device boxes which have been manufactured by the Kellems Division of Hubbell Incorporated, includes the Wall Tracks.RTM. fixture box with a screw mounted cover and the WallTrak.RTM. device box with a snap on cover and screw mounted face plate. Both of these WallTrak.RTM. boxes require using a tool to access the interior of each of the boxes. Examples of latching arrangements on various types of items are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,580 to Pedersen et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,110 to Halbich et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,646 to Michel; U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,711 to Long et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,219 to Mortensen et al. Other examples of latching arrangements are disclosed in European Patent Application No. 368,693 to Gefitec S. A.; Canadian Patent No. 1,269,052 to W. R. Grace Co.; and German Patent No. 28 15 526 to Standard Elektrik Lorenz A. G.
In view of the foregoing problems, it is apparent there exists a need in the art for a low voltage and/or fiber optic communications applications device box which is relatively easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture, and which has a latching arrangement to allow positive latching and unlatching of its cover from its base without the need of a tool. The device box of the present invention addresses this need in the art, along with other needs which will become apparent to those skilled in the art once given this disclosure.